Here are two great events for youth aged 10 years and older.
Hudson Valley YA Society event at Oblong Books in Rhinebeck
Do you enjoy a “fun, partylike ‘literary salon’ atmosphere, with refreshments, conversation and giveaways for attendees”? Love meeting the best and brightest YA authors? Like things that take place here in the Hudson Valley? Perfect! Take a look at the guests for the Hudson Valley YA Society’s event this Sunday, April 28 at 4 p.m.: Lauren Morrill, Meant to Be; Lauren Oliver, Requiem; Jess Rothenberg, The Catastrophic History of You & Me; and Nova Ren Suma, 17 & Gone.
I asked Jennifer Castle, local author of the upcoming YA novel You Look Different in Real Life, about Nova Ren Suma: “Nova is a great example of the many gifted authors creating Young Adult literature these days: Her work is gorgeous, smart and genre-busting. She’s definitely one of those writers whose books get passed from teen readers along to their parents, or vice versa!”
The Hudson Valley YA Society event takes place at Oblong Books & Music, located at 6422 Montgomery Street in Rhinebeck. Reservations are required to attend this monthly series. For reservations, e-mail rsvp@oblongbooks.com or register via the Facebook event. For more information about the event and the authors, or to preorder the books, visit www.oblongbooks.com/hvyas.
Mothers’ Day Tea at Bevier House Museum in Marbletown decodes “The Language of Fans”
I love seeing what types of Mothers’ Day-related events pop up this time of year, and I delighted in learning about this Saturday’s Mothers’ Day Tea at the Bevier House Museum. The theme is “The Language of Fans,” and the guest speaker, Elaine Hayes from the Mount Gulian Historic Site, will demonstrate and share about “the secret ways fans were used to flirt and send messages during the Victorian Period.” The way fans were held and waved expressed thoughts such as, “I want to talk with you,” “Don’t flirt with that woman,” and “I love you so much.” It’s like an 1800s version of Beliebers!
In addition to the presentation, there will be high tea with all the trimmings and a raffle of items such as floral arrangements, seed packets and tea cozies. The Mothers’ Day Tea takes place on Saturday, April 27 from 1 to 3 p.m. The cost is $15 per person, and reservations are requested. This event is recommended for adults and youth ages 10 and up.
The Bevier House Museum is located at 2682 Route 209. For reservations or more information, call (845) 687-8726 or online at www.stoneridgelibrary.org or www.bevierhousemuseum.org.
If you are looking for an assortment of outdoor activities this weekend, read on. This is quite a lineup; there are activities all weekend long!
Community Arbor Day Celebration in Beacon
Let’s rethink the TGIF acronym this weekend and reframe it with something starting with “Trees,” like Trees Give Important Fun or Trees Grow Interesting Fast! Keep trying, you say? Well, here’s a special end to the week no matter what you call it: This Friday, April 26 is the Community Arbor Day Celebration in Beacon.
From 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., your family can participate in a tree-planting, a Native American tree-blessing, a tree-whispering activity, music and refreshments. This family event is free and open to the public and takes place at the University Settlement Camp, located at 724 Wolcott Avenue in Beacon. For more information, call (845) 265-8080 or visit www.clearwater.org.
Visitor Center Grand Reopening Celebration at Mohonk Preserve
You know that I love the Mohonk Preserve, and here’s a fun event taking place this weekend. On Saturday, April 27, the Preserve honors its 50th year with the Visitor Center Grand Reopening Celebration! This is no ordinary, boring, symbolic gesture; it’s the Preserve, so it’s fun!
The ribbon-cutting takes place at 9 a.m., and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., you and your crew can check out the touch table, do a nature scavenger hunt, start a seedling, see live turtle, raptor and reptile presentations, walk the expanded trails, including an accessible sensory trail, listen to live bluegrass music and more! This program is free and open to all ages.
And speaking of free…it’s Healthy Ulster Spring at Mohonk Preserve. That means that Ulster County residents are eligible to register for a free one-month membership to the Preserve on Saturday or Sunday, April 27 or 28. You can sign up for your pass from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Visitor Center or at the Spring Farm Trailhead; you just need proof of residency.
The Mohonk Preserve Visitor Center is located at 3197 Route 44/55 in Gardiner. For more information, call (845) 255-0919 or visit www.mohonkpreserve.org. Happy 50th birthday, Mohonk Preserve!
Fish for free, bag two trails toward a Walkabout patch at Norrie Point
Angling for some river action? Hooked on fishing? Head over to the free Fishing the River at Norrie Point program this Saturday, April 27 from 1 to 4 p.m. This event is open to all ages, and it’s free! Participants can use waders for seining fish in the cove with the net, or try their hands at using rods and reels provided by the Department of Environmental Conservation. This whole spot is right on the river, and it’s wonderful.
Here’s something else that I discovered: the Hyde Park Healthy Trails Walkabout. Hike any five of the designated Walkabout trails, and you can earn a free sew-on patch! I’m mentioning this because two of the trail choices are at Mills-Norrie State Park: the Blue Trail and the White Trail, so you could do a few different activities during your outing at Norrie.
The Norrie Point Environmental Center is located at 256 Margaret Norrie State Park in Staatsburg. For more information, call (845) 889-4745, extension 109, or visit www.dec.ny.gov. To learn more about the Hyde Park Healthy Trails Walkabout, visit www.nysparks.com.
Join the family! 
